From ARe bestselling author Layna Pimentel comes a brand new
suspenseful historical romance.
Shadowed by Sin
Layna Pimentel
Liquid Silver Books
Releasing August 17, 2015
Synopsis:
Every man has a price...
As Lord Benedict St. John and his fiancée prepare to marry, his family is blackmailed by a former acquaintance. Hoping to set things straight, he accepts an invitation to dine at the Blackmailer’s family estate.
But how many should die...
Estelle agrees to accompany Benedict, but nothing prepares her for the mysteries and bodies she stumbles across during her time at Hawthorne Hall.
Before the shocking truth is exposed?
Hawthorne Hall holds many secrets, but will Estelle and Benedict escape to see the day their union is blessed, or will they succumb to an untimely end?
Excerpt:
“Pardon the intrusion, my
lords. This just arrived for Master Benedict.”
The butler passed him an
envelope with the identical wax seal from the note his father received earlier.
Only this time, the letter was decorated with intricate designs.
“Thank you, Horace.”
“What is it? Who is it from?”
his father asked quizzically.
“I don’t know, Father. I’ll
have a look at it later. I’m rather late for a few appointments now. I will
check in on you later this afternoon. Do tell Mother I will be asking Estelle
to join us for dinner tonight.”
His father groaned yet again.
While his parents approved of his desire to marry, they simply did not care for
his selection of a wife. The aristocratic snobs that they were, they had
expected him to marry an equal, or a lady that came with an extremely large
dowry. Estelle was Baron Humphrey’s daughter, and while her dowry wasn’t that
of an earl’s or viscount’s daughter, her purse strings and entitlements didn’t
bother him in the least.
From the moment he saw her for
the first time at the market, he’d been smitten with the petite and exotic
beauty. He’d lifted her from the muddy street, and as her deep dark eyes
settled on his, she’d bewitched him. Mind, it took several weeks for him to
dissuade another potential suitor, not that the lad stood a chance. Estelle was
one catch he would never give up, and now he had to find the perfect home for
them, but where? She lived in town with her father and widowed aunt in a modest
townhouse during the season, and after that, they resided in a country home
with a full set of staff and several tenants to oversee. All of which he could
match with his inheritance; but for Estelle everything had to be perfect. She
deserved nothing but the world, and if he could give it to her, he would.
“Horace,” Benedict called out,
reaching for his hat. “See that my carriage is ready post haste. I have to go
to town and begin looking at properties.”
“Yes, my lord. Right away.”
The butler disappeared around the corner, leaving Benedict alone in the foyer.
He desperately wanted to open
the envelope but refused to do it so close to home. He didn’t want his father
to worry, nor did he want the servants to speculate on what was the matter.
He’d open the blasted thing and read it in the privacy of his carriage.
Darkness shrouded the street,
as if evil lurked for its first victim of the day. He stepped in, and gave his
driver directions to Mayfair. A quick scout of the area would give him an idea
of where there might be some opportunities. His future countess deserved the
best. After scouring some neighborhoods, he’d collect his lovely bride and
return home for dinner.
A few minutes into the drive,
he pulled out the letter and opened it.
Lord Benedict St. John,
You are formally invited to Hawthorne Hall as a guest of Lord George
Cuthbert. Celebrations are expected to last a week, and we hope that you will
stay for the duration. Several festivities, including a masque, will be held in
honor of George’s return from the continent. We hope you will attend, and look
forward to being introduced to your lovely bride-to-be.
Regards,
Lady Cuthbert, Countess of Hawthorne.
Nothing made sense. Why would
Lord Cuthbert send a letter blackmailing his father, and then invite him and
Estelle to attend a party at Hawthorne Hall? It had to be a ruse of sorts, but
then again, he could use this as an opportunity to dig more into the situation
with his father. Yet, was it wise to introduce Estelle to this particular crowd
of society, especially when there were other sinister things being plotted? If
anything happened to Estelle while she was in his protection, he would never
forgive himself. Nevertheless, if he told her about his plan and what was
happening, she might be willing to aid him in freeing his father from the
devil’s clutches.
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About the Author:
Born and raised in Toronto, Ontario, Layna discovered her love of reading at an early age. She’s a bestselling author at All Romance eBooks, and multi-published author of historical, paranormal and contemporary erotic romances. When she isn’t devouring salacious romance novels or writing, she enjoys losing herself in researching ancient history and mythology, weaponry, and hiking. She lives in Northern Ontario, with her husband and two daughters.
For updates on her upcoming releases, or to leave her a comment, you can find at:
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